"Education for Citizenship--a portrait of current practice" is the first in a series of portraits by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE), depicting current practice in key aspects of the Scottish school curriculum. The portrait series is a new initiative by HMIE, flowing from the "Improving Scottish Education" report. An important purpose of the portrait series is to relate existing pedagogy and curricular provision to the aspirations of "A Curriculum for Excellence" (ACfE). The aspirations of education for citizenship in Scotland are entirely consonant with the four capacities of ACfE. Educators are increasingly recognising that for children and young people to become responsible citizens and to participate actively in society, now and as they mature, schools and pre-school centres will need to promote their development as confident individuals, effective contributors and successful learners. ACfE defines clearly the desirable outcomes which should result from effective approaches to education for citizenship. Under the headings of the four capacities, these outcomes should increasingly influence such approaches and provide reference points against which the impact of pedagogy can be evaluated for effectiveness. Many aspects of education for citizenship are embedded in the day-to-day activities of pre-school centres and schools and are encouraging the emotional, personal and social development of pupils. This provides a sound basis on which to build. This portrait illustrates the extent to which these outcomes are being achieved and what more now needs to be done. The development of citizenship skills is crucial not only for children and young people in schools but also for young people and mature adults undertaking education and training in post-compulsory sectors of education. List of schools included in the HMIE inspection survey of education for citizenship is appended. (Contains 8 footnotes.)

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